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Updated: Jan 21, 2026

Synthesis and Characterization of Amphiphilic Gold Nanoparticles
Published on: July 2, 2019
Structural Characterization of Aurophilic Gold(I) Iodide under High Pressure
Virginia Monteseguro1, Daniel Errandonea1, Srungarpu N Achary2
1Departamento de Física Aplicada-ICMUV, MALTA Consolider Team , Universitat de Valencia , Edificio de Investigación, c/Dr. Moliner 50 , Burjassot, 46100 Valencia , Spain.
Abstract:
The effects of pressure on the crystal structure of aurophilic tetragonal gold iodide have been studied by means of powder X-ray diffraction up to 13.5 GPa. We found evidence of the onset of a phase transition at 1.5 GPa that is more significant from 3.8 GPa. The low- and high-pressure phases coexist up to 10.7 GPa. Beyond 10.7 GPa, an irreversible process of amorphization takes place. We determined the axial and bulk compressibility of the ambient-pressure tetragonal phase of gold iodide up to 3.3 GPa. This is extremely compressible with a bulk modulus of 18.1(8) GPa, being as soft as a rare gas, molecular solids, or organometallic compounds. Moreover, its response to pressure is anisotropic.
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Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula. Structural isomerism of coordination compounds can be divided into two subcategories, the linkage isomers and coordination-sphere isomers.
Linkage isomers occur when the coordination compound contains a ligand that can bind to the transition metal center through two different atoms. For example, the CN− ligand can bind through the carbon atom or through the nitrogen atom. Similarly, SCN− can...

